The Seventh Avenger

Chapter 74: An Offer

Thankfully, no chitauri cross our path as I drive the bike through the streets at an alarming speed. I can hear Ava yelling in my ear for me to slow down as I swerve through the wreckage and abandoned cars, but I pretend that I can't hear her over the sound of the bike's engine beneath us. Time is of the essence here, and the faster she gets to the quinjet and resumes reading Erik's notes, the better.

The bike comes to a screeching halt in front of the fallen aircraft, my foot slamming the stand down before we stop moving. "Go," I say to Ava, and she doesn't need telling twice. Within seconds the two of us have dismounted the bike, and rush forward. I enter the quinjet first with my arms raised, fire in my hands just in case any unwanted aliens have made their way on board in our absence. Much to my relief, I don't find a single chitauri, and I extinguish the fire from my hands at the lack of threats.

"We're good," I inform my friend. She wastes no time in quickly following after me, her eyes briefly scanning the vast space undoubtedly to make sure that we are alone. When she finds nothing, she quickly makes herself comfortable in one of the far corners of the quinjet, while I march over to the weapons rack. "I don't have much time, so my explanation is going to be rather quick and probably shitty," I half apologise, grabbing a few of Nat's pistols and the right ammo for them.

"Let's just hope that it doesn't come down to me having to use one," Ava murmurs, her eyes already moving back and forth as she reads Erik's writings on the pages in front of her.

It doesn't take me long to gather enough weapons in my arms, and I quickly turn around to hurry back towards her. She doesn't peel her gaze away from the notes in her hands until I drop to the ground in front of her. And when she sees the number of weapons in my hand, she frowns with unease. I don't say anything to her as I work the safety off from all the pistols, not putting the last one down. "When or if you run out of ammo, turn the safety back on and grab a fresh magazine," I instruct. "Release the empty one like this-" I pause to show her. "- before inserting the new one. To do this, place the rear of the new magazine against the back of the magazine well. Once they're aligned, use the heel of your palm and push up to seal the magazine- you should feel a click. Roll your hand over the top of the slide, pull it back towards you, and then release it. Then turn the safety back on, and fire away."

She carefully watches my hands as I put my words into action, saying nothing as she listens very intently. Eventually, she pries the weapon from my hand as a frown tugs at her lips. "I hate guns," is all she says.

"I know. And I know that I did a quick and shitty demonstration, but we don't have time. Loki and his aliens are still running wild and causing a lot of damage. They need me out there."

She sighs. "I know. I understand most of it, but if I have any troubles, then I can always call out on the comms. At least three of you have had to use these things daily before." She pauses to place the gun on the ground beside her. "Someone's bound to help if I need it."

"Exactly- just stay low, stay in here, and stay out of sight."

"You know, I've only been wanted by am angry God and his alien army for an hour at most, but I already miss our regular SHIELD missions. Suddenly, a bad guy with a gun doesn't seem all that big, bad and scary anymore."

"You're not wrong." But I wish she was. It has been something that has clouded my thoughts ever since my encounter with the Abomination, right here in the streets of New York City. My past SHIELD missions have been nothing compared to the other monstrosities that myself and the other Avengers have faces. Aliens, robots, gods and monsters alike. I almost miss the simplicity of how things used to be before all of this. I miss the confidence that I would make it out of a fight alive. Back then, I had been so sure that I would, with my abilities and whatnot.